Improvement in time-keepers



J. STEPHENSON.

Time Keeper. No. 47,998. Patented May 30, 1865.

nve n22 r,

ff/W

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES STEPHENSON, OF OANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK.

IMPROVEMENT IN TlME-KEEPERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 47,998, dated May 30,1865.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES STEPHENSON, of Canandaigua, in the county ofOntario and State of New York, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Time-Keepers; and I do hereby declare the following to bea full and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in whichFigure 1 is a plan of the operating mechanism of a clock illustrating myinvention. Fi 2is a vertical section in the line we", Fig. 1. Figs. 3and 4 are sections in the line g y, Fig. 1, showing the escape-wheel indifferent positions relatively to the detent and balance-wheel.

Similar letters of reference indicate corre sponding parts in theseveral figures.

The objects of this invention are to pro vide novel means fortransmitting motion from the escape-wheel to the balance-wheel, and adetent of such construction as will reduce friction between itself andthe escape, and adapt the parts to work more freely and perfectly.

T 0 enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains tofully understand and use the same, I will proceed to describe itsconstruction and operation.

In the accompanying drawings, A may rep resent the frame, and B a wheelreceiving motion from the mainspring through the medium of cogwheels incustomary manner, and gearing with a pinion, O, on the shaft 0 of theescape-wheel C The detent, which is secured upon the shaft D, consistsof a small cylindrical block, D, formed with a rim or prolongation, (Z,part of which is cut away to allow the teeth of the escape-wheel O tosuccessively enter the re cess d, which is bounded by said rim (2. Uponthe shaft D is mounted a lever, E, one end of which carries a segmentalrack, E, which works in a pinion, F, on the shaft F of the balance-wheelF. The successive teeth of the escape-wheel O are checked by alternatelyentering the recess (1, so as to bear against the inner surface of therim (Z, and coming in contact with the outer surface of the rim atapoint near the upper terminus, (P. The point of action of eachescapementtooth entering the recess (Z, and striking the inner surfaceof the rim (1, is such that the 1 power of the balance-wheel F, derivedfrom the hair-spring, will rotate the cylinder D, and this movementserves to depress the segmental rack, contract the hairspring F, andthereby store or accumulate power in the balaucewheel F. As soon as thecylinder D has been thus rotated until the rim cl no longer affords abearing for the impelling-tooth of the escape-wheel C the point (Z ofthe rim (Z will have been brought to a position to intercept theescapement-tooth next above or following. The power which has beenstored in the balance-wheel, as above mentioned, gives a reverse motionto the cylinder D, and the tooth resting upon the point (I is allowed tomove around with the escape-wheel till it strikes the inner side of therim (1, when the cylinder D, turned in the proper direction to producethe contraction of the hair-spring F", and thus eifect the storing ofpower in the balance-wheel F, for the purpose explained, and thus theoperation of the escapement c011- tinues.

It will be seen that the peculiar construction of the detent D d dprevents a great deal of friction, and the whole power of the drivingmechanism being thrown upon the shaft F of the balance-wheel F at theproper moment insures a perfectly free and regular movement of theescapement.

f represents a pin carried by a disk, F, on the shaft of thebalance-wheel F, and employed to give a definite impulse to theescapewheel 0-, to cause the proper tooth thereof to move withsuliicient rapidity to meet and be checked by the point (1" on the rimof the cylinder D.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. A detent consisting of a cylindrical block, D, formed with a rim, (Z,and adapted to operate in connection wit-h a balance-wheel, F, toregulate the escapewheel, substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

2. Communicating motion from the detent to the balance-wheel, and viceversa, through the medium of a segmental rack, E, and pinion F,substantially as and for the object specified.

J AMES STEPHENSON.

W'itnesses:

PHILANDER E. HALL, ALEXR. H. HowELL.

